Effect of MeJA treatment on polyamine, energy status and anthracnose rot of loquat fruit

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on changes in polyamines content and energy status and their relation to disease resistance was investigated. Freshly harvested loquat fruit were treated with 10 mu mol l(-1) MeJA and wound inoculated with Colletotrichum acutatum spore suspension (1.0 x 10(5) spores ml(-1)) after 24 h, and then stored at 20 degrees C for 6 days. MeJA treatment significantly reduced decay incidence. MeJA treated fruit manifested higher contents of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) compared with the control fruit, during storage. MeJA treatment also maintained higher levels of adenosine triphosphate, and suppressed an increase in adenosine monophosphate content in loquat fruit. These results suggest that MeJA treatment may inhibit anthracnose rot by increasing polyamine content and maintaining the energy status. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.